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Accuquilt is sponsoring a GIVEAWAY on my blog.

Follow this link to get all the details.
Follow that link, then come back, grab some coffee and browse my blog….

Check out the antique version of a little trivet I’m working on….

Follow this link and I’ll give you a little tutorial on how to make it along with an honest review of Accuquilt’s Go! Cutter.   If that doesn’t tempt you, I’m having a little giveaway….No it’s not for a Go! Cutter but something fun.

On Saturday when the kids were at guitar lessons, I killed time at Goodwill.  I found some good flannel sheets to use to make diapers for layette project and I found this chair.

Yes is covered with ugly upholstery and yes it does need some repair, but nothing we can’t fix.  If you’ve read my blog, you might know that hubby and I love antiques.  Not just antiques to look at, but antiques that are functional too.  This chair is PERFECT for us.  It was $28.  Hubby is going to work on re- gluing the arms in place.  Then I am going to “sweet talk” my sister into spending a little bonding time with me to reupholster it.

Here’s a side view…

We have matching walnut furniture in our bedroom.  Our bed and dresser both have that ornate carving along the top.  I can’t wait to get it all finished but it is on the back burner until the garage addition is finished.

Any ideas on what would be historically appropriate to use as a fabric?  Here’s a peak at the carpet I have down….I don’t know if the fabric is suppose to be like the rug or if a velvet type material is more historically appropriate.   My daughter Kayla pulled the fabric up a bit to see that there is horse hair underneath.  Let me know what you think….

Here is the promised tutorial from Elaine.

This bag was made from a magazine, duct tape and packing tape!

I could make it in two hours once I had my pictures figured out.

This book was my inspiration Simply Sublime Bags, 30 No-Sew, Low-Sew Projects by Jodi Kahn.

Talk about coincidence! This is the same book Jo had on her stack of things she got from Kayla. I happened upon it in the library.  The cover does not do it justice. I was intrigued when I saw the author used duct tape and staples as a means to put together a bag. I had to try it. Could it work?

I was contemplating a thank you gift at that time and this just fell into place. I modified/combined two of her projects. So now I have been making these as thank you gifts with the recipient’s interests in mind. I see many other things that would make great bags like my sons Lego catalog, the instructions to his model airplane . . .

I had everything for my first bag on hand. She encourages repurposing items like a bag out of a twister game mat found at a garage sale. This book made my mind whirl with possibilities.

She came up with creative ideas for handles as well.  She used bungee cords on one, which I used on my first bag. I can not say enough good things about this book for fun and individual creative expression.

Supplies

Items of interest to be made into a bag

Scotch tape

Double stick tape

Packing tape -all packing tape is not created equal. I have used Scotch  packing tape with success.

Duct tape -my husband bought me a six or eight pack of regular duct tape after he saw that first bag. I bought the colored for trims only, as a cost factor.  Those colors are great.

Stapler and staples

Grommets and grommet tool

Something for a handle

Step 1

This was an American Cowboy magzine, June/July issue. I picked out the bigger pictures I liked.

I used advertisement and smaller articles to fill in the sides and bottom. I try to have a focus area in the middle. Allow 1/2 inch on the sides where the staple will be. I have used bigger “seams” when it was a larger bag.

This is the more time consuming part of this bag. Moving pieces around until they feel right to you.  I found it easy to end up with a bigger bag than intended.  I was always finding more pictures or stories I wanted to add. I probably read everything in that issue including the adds. I learned plenty.

I piece two inches above the picture for turning over.  If a grommet would cover a picture or words I want seen, I will adjust adding more on top.  I have made three bags so far out of that one magazine and have makings for two more.

Notice the shape of this collage’. My first bag was a rectangle, sides stapled and the end was an excess triangle taped to the bottom.  I adapted another bag bottom shaped more like this to avoid excess “fabric” to tape down. I started with her measurements from the keyhole clutch (1 ¾ “ wide and 1 ¼ high).  I admit to using a “by guess and by golly” method.  This is the last bag I made and the bottom turned out square!

Step 2

Attach the packing tape to the collage’, over lapping each strip.

Step 3

Flip over and attach the duct tape, also over lapping, Square up the  edges.

Step 4

With duct tape side facing up, fold down 2 inches.  Tape this with duct tape.  Depending on the bag, I have used the colored duct tape in this area for fun.

Step 5

Fold the piece with right sides together and staple half and inch from the side.

Step 6

Miter the top corner. Use clear packing tape over the top edge going from the right side of the bag to the inside right, on the seam.  This holds the staples in place when it gets turned and flattens the seam.

This picture also shows applying a piece of duct tape to each side of the seam to hold it down. My friend, Cathy, devised this method of opening the seam. The author (Jodi) just used one piece to hold the seam open.  I have adopted Cathy’s way.  The seam is very stiff to open. The second side of the seam is easier.

Both seams taped down

Jodi put her bag over the end of her ironing board to work on it.

Then one strip of tape down the middle covering the entire seam.

Step 7

Staple the ends

I square up what I think the bag size needs for a bottom. I like them to stand up. I trim the extra and fold a piece of tape over the whole thing covering the staples which can be sharp when turning the bag.

Step 8

I put two rows of colored tape around this bag at this point. It covered the seams and all.

Step 9

Turn the bag!  The moment I have been waiting for. . .  when I get to see how the bag turned out.  I push in the corners first and work around the bag in a circle to turn it right side out.  Due to the layers it takes a bit to work it around.

Step 10

Tape the end seam down to the inside, bottom of the bag. I found pushing the excess of the seam against the bag opens up the seam more  before taping it down. I think you will understand when you are doing it.  Add grommets, per instructions on grommet packaging. There are other methods for handle attachment, if you prefer.  The grommets were new to me. I really enjoyed them. They changed the whole look of the bag.

Hi!

I am Elaine.  I live on the eastern side of Washington State in the desert. I moved from Minnesota 10 years ago to follow my husband. I miss my family and friends, but I don’t miss the snow.

My husband, 10 year old son and I traveled back to Minnesota this summer to visit family. I contact Jo to let them know we would be in the area. She introduced me to the world of blogging and invited me to be a guest blogger.  I do sew, bead and I like to repurpose things.

I am attempting to put together a tutorial for you on these bags. I used the last three cowboy bags pictured for the tutorial. I hope it makes sense. These are fun and addicting. People who see them can’t believe I made them. They look like plastic, as one person said.  I don’t know how long they last.  I am guessing they are easily repaired by packing tape if they wear through.  One last thing . . .

Have fun!

My first bag made from a Sport Aviation magazine and an EAA catalog.

My second bag had a keyhole clutch made from a gardening catalog. One side had an advertisement of 2 for some price, but I cut out an eggplant and taped it over. You could not notice in the end.

A Bag made from a Farmers Almanac calendar.

A bag for a science/math teacher, this handle was a hit and was bought for 50 cents at a Habitat for Humanity Restore by someone else. I got the part they no longer wanted. I knew it would come in handy one day. The other side had WA State facts and multiplication facts on the bottom. This side was from a unit on electricity.

A bag for reading/spelling teacher with the lists tore out by my son each week. The background was reversible scrapbook paper.  The inside was purple duct tape, the handle a grosgrain ribbon that coordinated with the brown bottom.

An old Seattle map for a big bag and a smaller bag that had a magnetic closure, new thing for me. I still want to try making her zippered bag using a stapler. I used another bungee for the handle.

These last three bags I made as thank you gifts for those tending the place while we were away.

Check back tomorrow for the tutorial to make your own bag!

psssst  . . .He is risen indeed!

This house remodeling is truly getting old….

Yesterday I went upstairs to get some dress clothes to wear to class and three carpenters followed me into my bedroom!  That was definitely a strange experience.  My bedroom is upstairs in the corner that attaches to the garage.  Our west window has to be closed in so they were there to close it up.

Tomorrow, the dry wall guys come and then on Friday the cement to pour the driveway will be coming.  The flooring guys were here last week to measure.  The gas line was dug yesterday.  It seems that every day does show progress…

The fly situation that I complained about a couple weeks ago has only gotten worse.  I don’t walk anywhere without a fly swapper.  Hopefully now that the windows are closed in, that will help.  Once the door between the garage and the addition is put in I think the fly situation will finally get under control.

I keep looking at walls thinking…maybe a quilt could hang here….or here…. should I sew curtains…should I buy some.  It will be so nice once the men are gone, the construction noises will be gone but mostly….the flies will be gone!

I have a huge treat for you…my friend Elaine is planning a guest post!  If you liked the dog food bag, you are going to LOVE this!

Kayla and I canned 33 quarts of tomatoes yesterday and catered the fireman supper.  Before we could get started Kayla insisted that we needed aprons.  Well, I didn’t have an apron so Kayla decided to remedy the situation….

One t-shirt and two minutes later, I had an apron.  Here’s a front view….

and here’s a back view.

It is the MOST comfy apron I ever had.  I LOVE it!  If you want to see how to make it head over to Kayla’s website.  I talked her into doing a little tutorial to show you how she made the aprons.

Several people commented yesterday about the dog food bag I made and were wondering how to make it.  I can’t make a tutorial as I don’t have another empty dog food bag right now but I can tell give you enough information for you to make one.

I cut about six inches off the bottom of the bag then sewed the opening closed again.  Then for the most part, I just followed Kayla’s Retro Tote pattern.   From the 6″ cut off section I cut two strips for handles.  I turned one side of the strip towards the middle and sewed along the edge.  Then I did the same for the other side.  Then sewed down the middle to make the handles.  At the top of the bag I just turned over the top 1/2 inch and turned that under again and sewed.

I had to laugh when I was walking through the pet section at Wal-Mart.  I saw another bag made of the heavy material and said something to Kalissa.  She looked at me and said, “No mom….NOT a cat liter bag!”  I had just seen the fabric and not the logo on the bag….

Someone mentioned in their blog post that there are chicken feed bags made of the same material.  Unfortunately my chickens don’t eat that type of feed….UGH!  I would love a chicken feed bag.

Don’t you think it’s funny that 75 years ago when the Great Depression was taking place, women all over were looking at feed sacks too.  Thankfully we are looking them as an accessory and not as a  necessity.

When I saw Kayla over the weekend, she gave me a box of things she put together when she was moving.  She didn’t want the things anymore and thought I might like them.  Well I do!

The Atkinson design book has kept me busy.  The apron pattern has me looking at fabric in a different way, the fabric….well that went in my stash, the bag book..WOW!

But my favorite is hands down, the hand knit dish cloth.  I am so CRAZY about hand knit dish cloths and Kayla knows it.  Occasionally she passes a dishcloth on to me.  Kayla posts lots of free knitting patterns over on her blog, Kayla K’s Thrifty Ways.  If you are CRAZY about knitted dish cloths like I am, you will no doubt love her latest addition….The Double Flip Brick.

Sometimes, I wish I could knit so I could knit my own dishcloths and goodies….other times, I am so glad I can’t because then I would have to give up my quilting time.  I think I have the best of both worlds….I can sew, and I have a daughter that I can bride to knit…..like the slippers she gifted me…winter doesn’t look so bad when I have them!

So…THANKS Kayla!

I have TOTALLY admired all the people out there who are so organized that they keep a running record of what they have in their fabric stash…..
I am totally amazed that they can even keep a weekly stash report on their computer in a spread sheet.

If you’re looking for that from me, I am afraid, it just isn’t going to happen.  I am just not that organized.  I have however, decided that I would like to at least note purchased and used amounts of fabric.

This week I bought fabric 1.5 yards to finish a baby quilt and I bought these brand spanking new charm packs of Moda’s new lines.  I am SO excited to play with these!

I finished three Schnibble patterns (Miss Rosie’s Quilt Company) tops.  I used backing fabric for three baby sized quilts….I used a yard of the fabric I bought.
I also gave away a fat quarter bundle to my niece along with LOTS of left overs from my Lily Pads quilt.

I LOVE my stash…it’s not too big.  It’s not too small.  At any given moment I can grab some fabric and start sewing a project.  BUT, I don’t want to become overwhelmed by my fabric so I plan to start being a little more accountable and joining the quilters who give a weekly stash report over at Patchwork Times.